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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27286633">over easy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adaris/pseuds/Adaris'>Adaris</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>good eggs [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Planet Kamino (Star Wars), Shapeshifting, The Clones are dragons, cuddle piles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:27:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,406</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27286633</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adaris/pseuds/Adaris</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Baby Cody gets a big scare, steals knives, meets Boba, and gets his scar. Jango finds that he accidentally started raising Cody somewhere along the way and can't help but wonder if he's making the right choice. </p><p>Standalone story based on the AU by wanderingjedihistorian/RangerJedi67 where the clones can shapeshift into dragons!<br/>[AKA you know you have brain worms when you start writing part 4 of a trilogy]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>CC-2224 | Cody &amp; Boba Fett, CC-2224 | Cody &amp; Jango Fett, Jango Fett &amp; Clone Troopers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>good eggs [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1928395</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>242</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>over easy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Mandalorian Day! I have a present for you, hold out your hands!<br/>It's baby dragons :D and they love you! </p><p>Translations:<br/>ad'ika: the mando'a equivalent of 'kiddo'<br/>mandokar: the mandalorian version of the 'right stuff' of american space race lore<br/>verd'ika: little soldier (nickname for kids)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kote sniffles and scoots even further underneath his bunk, ears flat against his head. His golden eyes flash in the darkness. </p>
<p></p><div>
  <p>“Ad’ika, you can’t stay under there,” Jango sighs, holding out his hand to the little dragon. “Come on, now.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>With a tiny whimper, Kote covers his face with his paws. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Did something scare you?” Jango lays down on the floor in a clatter of armor, peering under the bed. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote is silent for a long time, still sniffing, before he peeks at Jango and chirps softly. His little wings shuffle, pulling close around him. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I promise I’ll keep you safe, kiddo, whatever it was.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Still nervous, Kote inches forwards and transforms into a toddler. “Promise?” he asks quietly. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Promise.” Jango holds out his arms, and Kote scoots forward. After a long moment, he jumps forward and flings himself into Jango’s arms, shaking. “Hey, it’s okay, you’re okay.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote turns back into dragon form and nuzzles Jango’s chest. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Wow, something gave you a big startle, huh,” Jango says, patting Kote’s head.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“He’s been under there for half an hour,” Alpha sighs. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“What happened?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“They were doing desensitization training, and Kote got so freaked out he ran back here and dove under the bed.” Alpha holds out a hand palm-up, and Kote snuffles at Alpha with his damp nose. “You’re a stubborn little guy.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“He is.” Jango tries to hand Kote off to Alpha, and without missing a beat, Kote starts to cry again. “Okay, okay!” Jango cuddles the hatchling to his chest again. “Okay, you win, verd’ika.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote curls up into Jango, ears pressed flat against his head. His golden tail twines around Jango’s wrist. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Is he supposed to be anywhere?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“No... well, he’s missing dinner, so you might want to feed him.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Right. Come on, little one, let’s go.” He bounces Kote in his arms. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote makes the softest peep in response and then tucks his face against Jango’s armor, tired from all the excitement. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“You hungry?” Jango asks as they walk through the halls. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>After a moment, Kote mulishly shifts into a toddler to respond. “No.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Hey, you have to eat. Want me to make you something?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Yeah.” Kote sniffles. “Special pasta.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jango wants to ruffle the kid’s hair because he’s the cutest little guy, but he also knows Kote hates that. “You got it. Didn’t like the noise, huh?” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“No. Too loud.” Kote trembles again and curls into himself, falling silent. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Alright, there won’t be any more scary noises, okay? I promise.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote doesn’t respond, but he settles down when Jango starts to rub his back. He’s always hated desensitization, but he hasn’t been this scared by it in a long time. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>In his quarters, Jango sets Kote down on the countertop and starts boiling water for the pasta. He gives Kote a handful of cheerios to nibble on in the meantime, and Kote immediately perks up. With an adorable level of concentration, he picks up each cheerio and inspects it for flaws, munching happily when it passes inspection. A pile of ‘reject’ cheerios starts to grow next to him, ones that are broken or not puffy enough or the wrong color. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jango eats the rejected cheerios in a big handful, and Kote stares at him in astonishment, golden-brown eyes wide. “Hey, we both know you weren’t going to eat those.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote manages to chirp, even though he’s still in human form, and goes back to sorting through his cheerios with methodical precision. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>When Jango starts chopping up broccoli to steam, Kote looks at him beseechingly. “Veggies are good for you,” he says, hating that he said the word ‘veggies’ out loud. “Come on, they’re not so bad.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Icky,” Kote sighs sadly, resuming the cheerio sorting. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jango finishes making dinner without any more judgement from the kid. He picks Kote up and sets him down in a high chair, sliding a plate of pasta, broccoli, and chicken in front of him. “Okay, eat up, it’s getting late.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote shifts into dragon form to eat, putting both paws on the table and opening his mouth to reveal rows of sharp, pointed teeth. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“No, you have to be human-shaped to eat,” Jango reminds him. “It’s not as messy, and besides, you can’t do that in polite company.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote shifts back reluctantly. Sighing, he picks up his fork with both hands and stabs a piece of broccoli like it’s an enemy.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Good job, ad’ika.” Had Kote been raised among other Mandalorians, he could have eaten in whatever shape he pleased. But most people weren’t comfortable with a fully-grown dragon chomping down on dinner at the table, and most tables couldn’t hold that much food anyway. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>With a lot of melodramatic suffering, Kote eats all his broccoli and then eagerly starts in on the rest. Even though Jango’s cooking is passable at best, Kote loves what he calls ‘special pasta’, which is just normal pasta with olive oil, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Jango still isn’t sure what the ‘special’ element is. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>After dinner, Kote changes shape and presses up against Jango, purring sleepily. He won’t shift out of dragon form for the rest of the day, not if he doesn’t have to.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>While Jango cleans the kitchen, Kote watches, curled on top of the conservator like an oversized cat. As soon as Jango’s done, Kote jumps onto him for cuddles and doesn’t stop wiggling until Jango  scratches his scales. Then Kote chirps to himself, tail flicking back and forth, nuzzling Jango’s hands, enjoying every second.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Like all children, the clones need love and attention, but there are so many of them, and the kaminii have no idea how to give them even basic care, despite Jango’s attempts at teaching them. He holds Kote to his chest, and the child starts to purr again, tail twining around Jango’s wrist for security. Slowly, he falls asleep, his breath turning to soft, steady huffs. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I’m sorry, ad’ika,” he murmurs, walking the sleeping clone back to the bunks. “Sorry you don’t have the life you deserve.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>All this for a child of his own—Jango has half a mind to keep this one. Keep all of them. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He hasn’t taken his payment yet, so by the laws of the guild, he’d be doing no wrong by backing out of the deal now. But there are thousands of clones, with millions more in the making. What the hell will happen to them all? </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Well, he knows that much—they’ll die. He’d thought it was a small price to kill all the Jedi, but... millions of innocent children who could be his own will be dying. Probably Kote, Fox, Bly, Wolffe, all of them. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jango cuddles Kote again, kissing the top of his head, right between the rounded stubs of his horns. The kid—his son—sleeps on, oblivious.  </p>
</div><div>
  <p>He’s really done it now. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>—</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jango looks down just in time to see Kote skitter down the hallway towards him like a common rock lizard and claw up his leg with terrifying purpose. “Ad’ika!” he yelps despite himself.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote chirps and drapes himself over Jango’s shoulders, his tail curling over Jango’s chest.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Kote!” A’den roars. He storms down the hallway, one hand on his blaster like he’s about to shoot a child. Which... typical of a Null, thinking with their blasters instead of their heads. “Give him to me, Prime.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“What have you done now?” Jango sighs, and Kote peeps sadly, wings pulled in tight around his body. “What has he done now?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“That little brat broke into my quarters again.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote hisses at A’den from the safety of Jango’s shoulders.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Why were you in there?” Jango asks, getting an indignant squeak from Kote in response. Jango Is willing to bet Kote didn’t want anything more than to annoy A’den. “You little criminal.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Quit fawning over the kid and give him to me.” A’den holds out a hand meaningfully.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“If you were nicer to him, he’d stop trying to piss you off.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“He stole my underwear and kriff knows what else! He’s just a CC, but he clearly doesn’t know his place. Let me teach him.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote looks genuinely afraid now, wide golden eyes staring at Jango. He lets out a soft peep and squishes his paw against Jango’s cheek as if to say, please don’t give me away. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“He’s a child. I think you have better things to do than concern yourself with his antics.” Jango pets Kote’s head, and the little dragonet purrs.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Fine. But the next time I find him near anything of mine, he’s losing an eye.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“He knows. Right?” Jango asks Kote.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>There’s a chirp in response, and Kote flicks his tail in apology, ears laying flat against his head.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>A’den scoffs and stalks away.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“The Nulls are always grumpy,” Jango sighs, and Kote nods vigorously in agreement. “You gotta stop stealing shi—er—stuff from A’den and the other Nulls, okay, little one? What was it this time?” He grabs Kote and holds the dragonet in front of him under his stubby arms.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote scowls and shifts into human form, revealing he has a knife in one hand and a dagger in the other.  “He don’t need ‘em,” Kote grumbles.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“He doesn’t need them,” Jango corrects absently. “I know, buddy. He’s a big grump. But do you really need more knives?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Yeah!”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>This kid might actually be <em>too</em> mandokar. That’s adorable. “Alright, but steal them from someone who won’t try to murder you if they catch you. Or don’t get caught.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Okay, Buir!” Kote claps, the knives clattering against each other. Then he shifts into dragon form, the knives vanishing, and his tail thumps happily against Jango’s armored chest.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“What are we going to do with you, ad’ika?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote chitters and nips at Jango’s hand. With a sigh, Jango pats his head, the gold ridges there still baby-soft and pliable. One day, when Kote is grown, they’ll be hard and sharp, their unusual honey-golden color darkening to metallic.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>There isn’t any concrete evidence about the meaning of a Mandalorian’s scale and eye colors, but there’s plenty of theories. Most are more superstition than anything else. Jango’s dragon form is a mix of teal and silver-grey, with a flexible crest that runs along his spine. Teal was supposed to mean he was spiritual and feminine, and the grey that he was quiet, neutral, and conservative. As a result, Jango puts little stock in color meanings.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote’s pure gold coloring, though, is rare, often associated with courage, success, and prosperity. Natural leaders, naturally lucky. Although this kid is more of a natural criminal than anything else. Still, he knows that had they been among other Mandalorians, Kote would be special. So would Rex, with the white splash on his forehead. But they’re not with other Mandalorians, and...</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote bonks his head against Jango’s hand.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>They’re not supposed to be children. They’re soldiers.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jango scratches the top of Kote’s head, and Kote’s eyes close with delight. Soldiers. That’s right. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote opens one eye to reassure himself that Jango is there, and then he falls asleep, purring.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Just soldiers.</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>—</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Boba hatches on a rainy afternoon, eyes a mismatched brown and spearmint green. Although he was created at the same time as the CCs, he hadn’t been genetically enhanced. As a result, he grew less than half as fast, hatching five months after them. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jango tries to keep Boba in the nest, but Boba insists on toddling around the room on wobbly legs, sniffing and chirping loudly at anything that smells strange. Which is everything, because he’s a baby. Jango follows along with him, nudging him along with his nose. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Eventually, Boba gets tired of the nest and starts chewing at things that displease him. Which is everything, including Jango’s tail. With a huff, Jango picks Boba up by the scruff of his neck and takes him outside into the compound. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>There’s a whole gaggle of clones waiting, some shifted, some not. Boba’s eyes widen comically as he sees everyone else, and he wriggles, wanting to be put down. Jango sets him in front of Alpha, who dips his cerulean-blue head and gives Boba a delicate sniff. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Boba squeaks in delight and grabs onto Alpha’s nose with both paws. To his credit, Alpha just sneezes and nuzzles Boba’s side. The hatchling flops over, eyes closing. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Wolffe greets Boba next, staring at the smaller dragonet like he’s a puzzle to solve. Then Kote wanders over. Boba watches Kote with wide eyes, and he tries to pounce on Kote’s tail, probably just interested in the shininess. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote chirps, flicking his tail out of Boba’s reach, and Boba squeaks in dismay. With a resigned sigh, Kote lets Boba hold onto his tail. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“That’s sweet,” Alpha says as he watches. “Although… I had no idea you’d actually replace Kote. I thought you might keep him, even though he’s been altered.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jango rears back in surprise, startling the hatchlings around him. He shifts into human form to reply, “I’m not replacing anyone. They’re both mine.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I mean, not technically, though. One unaltered clone as payment, that’s what you agreed on.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jango’s mouth closes with a snap. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Alpha looks on at Kote and Boba, romping through the hallways, chased by a gaggle of other cadets. “Boba’s cute. Looks like a real handful.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“They always are,” Jango agrees. Boba is smaller, being newly hatched, but otherwise, he doesn’t seem different at all. Indistinguishable from the others. Any of these hatchlings could have been his, could have been Boba. “Like you.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Hey, us Alphas were—”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Always getting into places you shouldn’t, and annoying the Skiratas, and destroying—” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Okay, okay, I get it!” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Boba comes skittering up to them, and one greenish paw taps Jango's leg. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“You make any friends?” Jango asks as he picks up Boba, getting licked in the face for his trouble. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Alpha lets Boba snuffle at his hand. “Given that he’s unaltered, he’s probably made enemies.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Boba looks up at them and chirps for food. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Yeah, lots of enemies. Let’s get you snacks.” Jango walks away from the assembled cadets, and doesn’t notice Kote watching him leave with wide, disbelieving eyes. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>—</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>“You attacked a child?!” Jango demands.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>A’den scoffs. “That kid—”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“No! You don’t get to defend yourself, he’s a fucking child, and you’re supposed to be a damn ass adult!” Jango scoops the sobbing kid up in his arms. “Let me see, ad’ika, move your hands.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Tears pouring down his face, Kote looks up at Jango with one shining golden eye and moves his hands away. His left eye is firmly closed, the lid crusted with fresh blood. Jango can’t tell if the knife managed to hit the kid’s eye, but he’s gotten a deep cut all the same.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Okay, let’s go to the medbay, alright? Get you cleaned up.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote buries the good side of his face against Jango’s chest, sniffling.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“He’s not a child. We were never your children. So why does that fucking thing get to be? He’s not even—they made him weak, subservient. Is that what you wanted, a perfect little soldier to follow all your orders without question?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Careful, Skirata.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Your priorities are so fucked up,” the Null says, his voice almost disgusted. He jabs a finger in Jango’s direction. “What do you think you’re doing here? With them? With us? Fuck. What do you think you’re doing?” And then, for the first time in his life, A’den Skirata closes his mouth and just walks away.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jango frowns, but makes sure he’s smiling gently when he turns his attention back to Kote. “Hey, kiddo, let’s get that taken care of, huh?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote sniffles.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>His eye is fine. A little bacta, and all that will be left of the incident is a scar, and a bad taste in Jango’s mouth. He tells Kote that he was very brave, and Kote smiles faintly at him.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jango walks Kote back to his dorm and picks up a good half-dozen other cadets along the way who trail behind him, peeping curiously and nearly tripping Jango with every step. “Kids, please,” he says, and they ignore him like the little miscreants they are. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Once they’re inside the dorm, Jango puts Kote down, and the others nose at him and chirp questioningly. Wolffe and Bly sit by Kote as if to protect him, while Rex and Gregor cuddle with Kote and fuss over him. All the action attracts Fox, who easily takes on role of official mother hen, licking the top of Kote’s head like a concerned parent and trying to feed him a succession of snacks.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I’m going to talk with A’den and Kal, okay?” Jango says, standing up once he’s sure Kote is comfortable. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>With a distressed squeak, Kote wriggles out from under his pile of siblings and follows Jango, claws clicking on the floor.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“No, stay here, ad’ika.” </p>
</div><div>
  <p>Kote stands there on all fours, tail drooping, good eye watering. He looks up at Jango, absolutely dejected. His assembled brothers have the exact same look on their faces—a chorus of disappointment.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Oh dear. “Okay, okay.” Jango kneels on the floor. and Kote jumps into his arms. “Do you want me to stay with you?”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>All the cadets start peeping in unison like a nest full of baby birds, and Jango sighs, shifting into dragon shape. </p>
</div><div>
  <p>About fifteen minutes later, Alpha comes in holding Boba. In a burst of energy, Boba wriggles free from Alpha’s arms and dives under Jango’s paws, absolutely outraged that others are getting attention and he is not. Then Boba notices the bright red mark slicing through the scales on Kote’s face and quiets down, sniffing gently at Kote to make sure he’s okay. Kote and Boba bonk noses, and Boba settles himself down between Rex and Kote, occasionally giving Kote a sniff to check on him.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Jango makes a mental note to talk to the Skiratas later. </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>—</p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p> </p>
</div><div>
  <p>The Jedi arrives on a cold, rainy night, although all nights here are cold and rainy. None of this is down to luck. As if Jango would trust something so fickle.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>There’s something inherently amusing about the tallish ginger man, drenched like a loth-cat and twice as grumpy about it, padding through the halls and staring at all the clones.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Little does he know just what those clones are capable of.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Cody stands by Jango’s right side, dressed in pure white armor.  Only his scar and solid golden eyes distinguish him from his brothers.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“What do you think about him?” Jango asks.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Cody tilts his head, regarding the rain-soaked Jedi. “He doesn’t seem that dangerous, but there’s something about him that I... I’m curious to see how well he fights, especially without the saber.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“I’m sure you’ll get the chance to find out. Go on, then.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“Thank you, sir.” Cody shifts into dragon form, now grown to be comparable in size to Jango. In a clap of displaced air, he spreads his golden wings and leaps down from the observation deck, landing in front of the Jedi with a bone-rattling thud. For a second, he holds a regal pose, all unearthly grace and ferocity, teeth and talons gleaming, a raw expression of power and glory. Then he transforms into human shape with a shimmer of golden light.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>The Jedi seems amazed and eagerly greets Cody with a sparkling smile. But Jango isn’t fooled. He knows what the Jedi think about the Mandalorian way, and what they do to Mandalorians they don’t like. So the Jedi can smile and flatter all he likes—it won’t make a difference.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>They’re nearing the endgame now, and all the Jedi don’t even know they’re playing. Not even the clones or the Separatists know. A triple-blind. Damn near infallible.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Part of Jango remembers when Cody was just a chubby little cadet named Kote. Remembers comforting him when he was upset and patching up his injuries.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>But A’den had been right (not that Jango would ever say so). The clones are pieces in the game, and he can’t ever forget that. And if Kote—Cody—had truly been lucky, he would have been named Boba instead.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>On his left, Boba, with one teal and one brown eye, watches the clone and Jedi interact with a scornful sneer. “They don’t even know what’s happening. So stupid.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>“But we know, ad’ika.” There’s only one person he calls by that nickname now. “And that’s what matters.”</p>
</div><div>
  <p>This has to work. Otherwise—</p>
</div><div>
  <p>Otherwise nothing.</p>
</div><div>
  <p>
    <em>This has to work.</em>
  </p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for making A'den mean, his wiki page said nothing about his personality and he fulfilled a plot function ;__;</p><p>Thank you for reading part 4 of my 3 part series! (I'll get back to my other wips soon haha)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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